Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-06-15
Tricks orn vEagiciam.

Tricks Ofn HEaSicfan-
Alexander Hermann, the magician. en-.
tertained party with an amusing conver-
sation iu New York hotel recently. The
! irrepressible reporter was, of course, on
hand, and in reply to some observations
from the latter the professor replied "Peo-
pie like to see marvellous things. AS a
rule they don't care how they are mystifed
how the handkerchief is put into the egg, or
how any one of the numerous tricks is per-
formed. They are simply content to be
humbugged, as Mr.. Circus Barnum says, as
long as they are well fooled"
TO the query, SIS your skill in feats oi
! legerdemain mainly the result Of educa-
tion ?" the presditigitator answered: mo
| sir. My success is due to the fact that |
was built that way. Ii is my Inheritance
! from the unknown. l nave perfected my
manipulation by practice, but the initial
motive comes from my heredity. My skill
is not confined to my sleight-of hand per-
formances in public. / have psychological
or mesmeric powers which do not display,
because there has been 90 much humbug in
that line Given the proper subject, l can
cause him to fell to the floor without touch
ing his body. While | don't profess to be
able to explain these phenomena, still am
possessed Of the power TO execute them" "
During the evening the Professor handed
around cigarettes When the magician
reached his open palm toward the reporter,
upon which Icy two OF the little tobacco
stuffed cylinders, the cigarettes magically
melted into one. AS the scribe lit cigar
ettee the Professor pluckeG another from
the heart of the Jack rose in his buttonhole
and presented it TO MIN.
CAS- l am rather pleased with your man.
ner and conversation" said the Professor,
"alow me TO present you with slight tes-
timonia of my regard" taking q magnii.
cent diamond riug from his finger and plae-
ing il on the finger Of his visitor. The ring
fitted like the skin on the eel, and the lucky
scribe mad already begun TO congratulate
| himself on his good luck when-presto,
veto, change and the ring was gone. Bis
malah the ring was picked out of the visi-
tors pocket by the deft fingers OF his occult
jsgs, and it went through series OF open
sesame changes, appearing suddenly upon
| the floor, shooting iris tinted rays from its
diamond eyes, and again the ring flew ouS
|! from between the Professors choker and
coat.
81 will show you one of my best tricks.
hJohnny, get y bottle of wine and some COB.
let's Johnny returned with the wine and
gobets The Professor poured wine into
three gobets until they were full 10 the
brim "You viii observe, gentlemen, that
will take this glass of wine and throw it into
the Dir, glass and wine both, and that it will
disappear"
The glass which the Professor held was OF
the ordinary size used for serving wine The
glass was so full of the liquid that the Pro-
fessor handled it with care lest he should
spill it, The Professor stepped 10 the mid
die Of the room, holding the wine at
arms length. He gently lowered the
glass and then tossed it into the the air. AZ.
ter it left the magician's hand the glass and
wine disappeared, leaving no trace behind
but few scattered drops upon the floor.
Slipping across the room, the wonder-work-
er took the glass of wine from the vest pock-
ct OF his visitor. After the exclamation of
surprise had subsided, the Professor said: 81
performed :hat trick once in Berlin, in 1867.
l attended banquet given by the French
Minister. Bismarck sat on my left, and
when | threw the wine and glass into the
air | took it out of Bismarck's pocket. When
Bismarck told Emperor William what / had
done he sent me an order to use the Impe-
rial Opera House during my stay in the city
without rent. The Sultan of Turkey was
equally kind to me. We were on board his
Yacht and ne asked me if could do trick
with his watch, which was most beautiful
instrument, studded with precious stones,
and probably worth $4,000. After every
body on board had admired the watch l de-
lberately threw it overheard The Sultan
hardly knew how to take such an apparent
" flagrant act. 1t was no joke to throw so
valuable watch into the sea. Your Mai
esty,' said I, will you send for line and
ba;ted hook? p He did so, and in few mo
ments the sailor drew on board q large fish
When I cut the fish open out dropped the
Saltan's watch. He was so much pleased
that ne presented me with $500 in gold.
The Professor next took u piece OF cigar
cite paper from his pocket. He tore the
paper into shreds and handed it to his Wis.
itor rolled up into little ball. "Unrol the
paper carefully" said he. The visitor did
so, and 10 and behold the paper was intact
and had evidently never been torn. This
was evidently the case, but, confound the
luck how did he do it?
II never explain how Il do my tricks,
said the Professor. "If should attempt tC
explain them probably only few out ofny
audience would understand the explanation
90 occasionally partly explain how | dc
some tricks, but usually leave tie lockers
on much moro mystified than they were be
fore. 1t would not be right for me to give
the secrets of the craft away. Agreat many
of the tricks performed by me are also per
formed by other men, and it would be an in
justice on my part to destroy their stock il
trade. Besides, anything new in this line o
business is hard to get, and is jeaously pre-
served when discovered
Your skill must be an unfailing source o